A stubborn girl

Ella is stubborn. She likes to do things her own way, in her own time. She doesn't want to be told what to do. She wants it to be her idea. If you try to make her do something she doesn't want to, she digs her tiny little heels into the ground and refuses to budge an inch. She is also a perfectionist. She doesn't want to show us anything new until she's positive she's not going to make a mistake. Until she can do it perfect. I, of course, have NO idea where such characteristics came from and have absolutely no firsthand experience with it myself.. Huh. Must just be one of those rare, spontaneous genetic chromosome mutations we've learned so much about.......

You all remember that one day a few almost SIX months ago when I posted about Ella climbing halfway up the stairs, right?

You remember how excited I was and how this was a new chapter in our lives? And how this meant so much with her progression and independence? Well.. what I've failed to mention since is that she has refused to climb the stairs again. Not just the stairs.. a single stair. That's right, this little girl who can climb, has refused to climb. I usually let her go at her own pace at learning things. I know she doesn't like being told what to do, but since I knew she already can do this, I wanted to push her a little to do it more and get a good workout at the same time. Just the other week I set her on the first stair, then sat one above her with my arms stretched out, ready to help pull her up into my arms and proudly love on her for doing such a good job. And what did she do? Stayed on that stair. Screamed. Refused to move. Showed me she knew how to climb down that stair backwards, and crawled around the corner, wailing for the world to hear about what a unfair and horrid mother she has.  *Sigh...

So imagine my surprise when we were hanging out on a normal Saturday morning last week.. I was in the kitchen washing dishes and folding laundry (normal activities). JJ and the boys were picking up the toy room (fairly normal), and Ella was happily crawling around the house on her own... Wait-THAT was NOT normal, but we were going with it.. Needless to say, I was ecstatic about her sudden independence on this day, but I of course didn't want to acknowledge it. I knew that would end it. So I kept myself busy.. Not wanting to make eye contact or sit down for fear it would be all over, I ducked my head and ran upstairs to put some laundry away. Because I'm awesome like that and always put my laundry promptly away as soon as it's out of the dryer and folded. (Okay fine.. not really. I just desperately needed the extra basket that hadn't been unloaded for 2 weeks for more laundry.) While I was occupied I heard a thumping on the stairs. "Must be a boy needing help with something," I thought. I continued hanging clothes up. More quiet thumping. I listened. And heard both boys' voices seeming to come from downstairs. Is it a cat? I cautiously rounded the corner to find out. And who do I see teetering at the very tip top of the stairs?

None other than Miss Stinky Stink herself.. who just climbed the entire staircase by herself.

She is now completely obsessed with climbing up and down the stairs all day long and so very very proud of herself. Because it was her idea. I am so happy for her. I am. But seriously.. does anyone have any good ideas on how to make walking seem like her idea?